Is an epidural always necessary when you’re induced?

[sonyaya]

I’m keen to manage childbirth without an epidural if I can because I’m scared of forceps etc (but to be clear I’m not suggesting there is anything wrong with an epidural and am open minded about the fact I might feel I need one).

However it’s now looking likely I might have to be induced. I know that induced labours are more painful. Has anyone managed an induced labour without an epidural or shall I just cut my losses and ask for one at the earliest possible stage?

2 inductions (pessary) no epidural but I made sure with number 2 they kept me fully informed as to cut off times for pain relief and epidural after being told with number 1 I was too late for epidural and nobody warned me.

Number 2 was over ball and did hypno-birthing. Almost gave birth standing up but midwife copped out right at end as wasn't confident catching baby underneath me with mattress too - fair enough.

Will try same with no. 3. Going to keep open mind and want to be kept fully informed at all stages as ignorance didn't help me with no.1 and I was scared. Number 2 I asked to be kept fully informed about what was going on and stage I was at and it massively helped.

I’ve had two inductions for overdue babies, first one had to go on drip after pessary failed - extremely painful, had pethidine then epidural, epidural was great, didn’t really enjoy the pethidine as was so out of it. Second time the pessary worked, pain much more manageable so didn’t need epidural and had diamorphine which for me took the edge off but didn’t make me feel too woozy..

Induced on the drip and just had pethidine. In hindsight I wish I'd refused the pethidine as it was manageable but I thought I still had ages to go but went from 3cm to pushing very quickly.

Thanks everyone, and for the good wishes. I think from the sounds of it I would probably try to manage without for a bit with the pessary but maybe rethink if the drip is necessary - the advice to keep an open mind is probably the best idea, but it’s my first so I’ve no idea what to expect and keep overthinking it!

Anyway thank you all for taking the time to reply!

Induced with 2nd dc and had no pain relief. G&A made me nauseous and too late for anything else.

I was induced, took a long time for anything to happen but once it did we were done and dusted in 4 hours. Gas and air and a paracetamol! I was expecting to be in for the long haul too but it just didn’t happen. Everyone’s labour is different. Good luck.

OP I know mine was a pretty quick but I really tried to focus on breathing and zoning out as much as possible. It may have made a difference or I may have just been lucky, I don’t know. But look into hypnobirthing or lazy daisy birthing classes. Not for everyone and I’m no hippy but it may help you to think positively about the whole experience. Don’t let induction make it even scarier.

I had two epidurals. One natural but posterior. On induced. No stitches or other interventions for either.

There is no need to suffer unnecessarily. Men wouldn't.

I was induced and had an epidural but they turned it off once it was time to push, so I managed without having to have forceps or ventouse luckily.

Just a reminder that an epidural doesn't necessarily always mean an instrumental delivery, so try not to worry too much if you do end up needing one

3 dc, two natural labours, quick (precipitous) and without pain relief. 3rd delivery induced, pessary failed twice, waters broken and then had syntocin drip. Not going to lie it was very painful. My contractions started straight away and within 10 minutes were constant and strong. My blood pressure was going through the roof too. Within 20minutes I needed to push I was standing up at time holding on to bed asking for gas and air, felt urge to push midwife was just on shift and said I doubt it. I just managed to climb onto bed on all fours with my husbands help when I pushed and baby just came out with a sudden gush, it was so sudden, painful and not expected. It left me a little shell shocked and with serious blood pressure issues for months afterwards. Good luck, go with it and try to relax as much as possible.

I was induced on Sunday was given two pessaries, started getting crampy, was taken down to the labour ward and they ended up putting me on a drip.

I tried to just go with the gas and air but was on it constantly and it didn't help enough. Given a diamorphine(sp?) injection, didn't help enough, begged for an epidural after a bit but i was already having to start pushing. Whole thing went so quickly.

Three kids, two were inductions (one due to premature rupture of membranes one due to needing to get baby out at 39 weeks for other reasons), the non induction came of own accord about an hour before they were due to induce me. I had an epidural each time and am so pleased I did, especially with the first when I had to go to theatre for retained placenta afterwards so would have had to have one then anyway and how annoying to have not had one for birth then get one for operation straight after. Didn't get it until about 8cm dilated with second child but would have had it to save just one more contraction. Third one I got it before they did the drip and broke my waters.

Each labour will be different as will inductions. All in all I was contracting for about 36 hours (24 before we got to the drip) so by the time they got to the drip I was knackered. I managed ok with the drip for a few hours with gas and air and hypnobirthing techniques but they couldn’t get the contraction level right with the drip and there was not any ‘down’ time. By the time I was contracting constantly I needed the epidural. They had tried to give me the option of mobile monitoring but couldn’t get a good enough trace so was flat on my back for most of it. I did need an instrumental delivery but all the women in my family have had difficult births so I can’t necessarily attribute that to the induction alone.

Before the drip was inserted, the consultant came in to check the midwives has talked about pain relief. Mine said she’d discussed gas and air etc and the dr just looked at her and said ‘no I want to make sure you’ve discussed proper pain relief’ and then went back through options re epidural and some of the issues some women can have with the drip. I was very grateful for that chat as it made it easier to ask for the epidural later on when I needed it.

I had to go on the hormone drip as although I went into labour naturally I wasn't progressing fast enough and baby was at risk due to meconium in the waters. The one thing I really didn't want was an epidural and I was determined not to have one. Eventually I did as I just couldn't stand the pain anymore. Now I feel like I was stupid to hold out for as long as I did. If I was induced again on the hormone drip I would definitely have an epidural earlier. (Having said that my experience of an epidural was really positive, I could still move my legs, I could still feel when my contractions were - although they didn't hurt, and I could feel when to push as well. I didn't need any additional interventions.)

I had the drip induction with gas and air but I only got to 5cm in 4 hours of being on the drip before I ended up with a c-section so it wasn't like I had the drip in for a long time.